


burn, burn, burn

by Overdressedtokill (SkyeStan)



Series: Spirit of Vengeance AU [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Possession, Skye's Mentioned but Doesn't Appear, Spirit of Vengeance - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 14:14:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4224816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyeStan/pseuds/Overdressedtokill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(as long as we're going down.) follow up to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/4041532">that’s my man.</a> grant and vengeance have a talk. deals and devils are discovered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	burn, burn, burn

**Author's Note:**

> cw for a self harm mention in the story.

It never stops.

The taste of blood in his mouth.

The tremors in his hands. 

The overwhelming urge to _hurt._

And the worst thing is that he’s not even sure what’s new and what’s not anymore.He’s not sure what’s Grant Ward and what’s this... thing inside him.

He runs cold water over his face, like that will help.His reflection’s almost the same, though he’s looking gaunt.He can’t remember the last time he’s slept.

He thinks he sees something burning.Some fire, behind his eyes.He blinks and it’s gone but-

What the hell is going on?What’s happening to him?

 

 

“You almost killed her,” he says.

A laugh.Not his, though it’s inside his own head.“A pity it was an almost.”

He grips the sink until his knuckles turn white.He remembers almost nothing.He remembers seeing Skye, and hearing his own voice, and then... it goes dark.Next thing he knows, he’s suffocating her.

He’d never been so terrified in his entire life.

A laugh that isn’t his.“We both know that’s not true, Grant,” the thing says.“I can think of a time when you were just that scared.”

His mind fills with visions of water and screaming.

He hears Skye over it.It’s Thomas in the water and Skye begging for her life, everyone always begging and he’s so weak, so weak-

“I’m making you stronger,” the thing tells him.“Better.”

“You want me to kill Skye,” he says.He’s on the floor.He doesn’t remember falling, but he can distinctly remember the sensation of kicking his legs. “I’m not going to hurt her.”

 

 

“I don’t want to kill her,” the voice says.“You do.”

“That’s insane,” Grant says.“I don’t want to-” He hears her begging oh God, he’s killing her he’s killing her- “I will never let you hurt her like that.Not again.”

“I’m just acting on your impulses,” the voice says.“That need for vengeance, that need to-”

“Stop,” Grant says.Rises to his feet on unsteady legs.“You must think I’m an idiot.”

Silence on the other end.

“You hear my thoughts, can’t you?” Grant says.“You have unlimited access to my head and my memories.”

“Not just yours,” the voice says.Almost bitterly.Like it doesn’t enjoy answer questions.Grant doesn’t care.“All thoughts.All memories.All injustices.”

“Well than that should make this part really easy on you,” Grant says.“Since you should know that I’m fully aware of what you’re trying to do to me.”

“And that is?”

“You want me to think this is my fault,” Grant says.“But I don’t want to kill her.And I don’t know what other lies you told her, but-”

(I never loved you, I want you to die knowing that.)

(Grant, Grant _please_.)

 

 

He keeps coming in and out of darkness like he’s coming up for air.“You lied to her.”

“I didn’t,” the thing says.“You don’t love her.She’s just a crutch.A wea-”

“Don’t ever call her that,” Grant says.

“And what about Kara?” the voice says.“Are you just going to let her go unavenged?”

Grant grits his teeth.“No.”

“If you loved her,” the voice says. “Truly loved her.Wouldn’t you want to the world to burn?”

“Get out of my head,” Grant says.“I don’t know what you are-”

“Vengance, Grant Ward,” the thing says.“And you are the vessel I choose.”

“I don’t want to be your damned vessel,” Grant snaps.“Find someone else.I won’t kill for you.Not Skye.I won’t be your goddamn-”

“Skye!” the voice says. Vengeance. Whatever the hell it is.“Why is it always about Skye?Aren’t you tired of protecting her when she doesn’t even want it?”

“And what?” Grant says.“Killing her is the better option?”

“Do you think she cares for vengeance, Grant Ward?” the thing asks.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Grant says.

“I picked you because you were dying,” it says.“Because I thought you had the power to raise hell on earth and punish the wicked.But maybe I was only attracted to your obsession.Maybe I have the wrong body.”

 

 

Absolutely not.Never.This thing will not- It won’t- “Are you threatening Skye?”

“Mary’s a special girl, Grant,” it says.“She’s got that old fire in her that only nuns can instill.And what do you have?”

“You’re threatening her,” Grant says.And if it wants fire, it will get fire.Grant’s got enough of it for everyone.“You don’t want her, you just want me to do your dirty work.”

“All work is dirty!” the thing says.“All sins are equal.You must be a vessel of true justice, Grant Ward.”

“And if I won’t be?”

“Then Skye will be,” it says.“And that is a devil’s promise.”

“You have no way of following through on that,” Grant says.“You can’t just make me-”

His hand lights up.“I can make you do whatever I want,” the thing says.Except that it’s Grant saying it aloud, to himself.“We punish the wicked, or we’ll be seeing Mary again.”

“Stop calling her that!” Grant shouts.Alone.In an empty bathroom.“Her name is Skye.”

“Her name is unimportant,” the thing says.

“It’s not,” Grant says.

“She’s good enough to be the vessel in your stead,” it says.“Should you fail.”

“Stop threatening her,” Grant says.“I won’t let that happen.I’d sooner-”

“Ah yes,” the thing says.“Take your own life.Except, all that would do is create an empty body.No more Grant Ward.Just Vengeance and all of Grant Ward’s physical might.”

 

 

Grant sucks in a breath.“Are you a demon?”

“In a way,” it says.“But so are you.And so is she.”

“She’s not a demon,” Grant says.“Leave her out of this, and we can work out a deal.”

“A deal-”

“With the devil,” Grant says.He knows the resignation in his tone.And he knows deals with devils.It’s all he’s ever done.“Yeah.”

“Where’s that fight?” it asks.“You’re so full of rage and hate.Why do you give up so easily?”

“Because Skye isn’t,” he says. “And I won’t let you- You’re right.I should be Vengeance.I should burn the wicked.”

“It feels like you’re giving up,” the thing says.“I’m almost disappointed.”

“If you think this is giving up,” Grant says.“Then you’ve barely seen inside my head at all.”

“It’s terribly dark in there, Grant Ward,” the thing says.Grant knows he’s being mocked.“Are you ready to let in the light?”

“You’re no light,” Grant says.

The thing laughs.“Right on the money,” it says.

And Grant begins to burn.

 

 


End file.
